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Westminster council Tories gave planning permission for extension on Jenrick home against officers’ recommendation

The Times reports that fellow Conservatives at Westminster council approved a home extension and overturned the planning department's recommendation to reject the plans. Robert Jenrick the secretary of state for housing who is currently embroiled in a row over a planning decision has some previous experience with planning matters, reports The Times newspaper. Conservative councillors …

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Help us improve the streets for walking and cycling in Fitzrovia West

Map of Fitzrovia West.

By Barbara Corr A group of residents in City of Westminster want the council to make our streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists and help maintain social distancing ahead of any lockdown being eased. Fitz West and Westminster Healthy Streets want to hear suggestions for improving the streets and have produced a map to which …

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Camden and Westminster councils appeal for volunteers as they announce some services need to change

Stay at home.

The leaders of both local councils serving Fitzrovia have appealed for volunteers and have announced that many services they offer will need to change in response the the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic. Cllr Rachael Robathan, leader, Westminster City Council, wrote to community organisations to say: "We have contingency plans in place to keep essential services running …

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Consultation on closing part of Riding House Street to motor traffic

Drawing.

Westminster City Council is seeking views on making the current temporary closure of Riding House Street at the junction with Cleveland Street permanent, and making a number of other changes to the street layout. The council says it is seeking to improve the eastern end of Riding House Street by formalising the existing temporary closure …

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Westminster council has a problem with air pollution and FOI requests

Sign saying: "Switch off engine. Reduce emissions.

Westminster council wants people to help it improve air quality by reporting drivers running their engines when parked but hasn’t got a clue where the worst offenders are located, according to a Freedom of Information request made by a Fitzrovia resident. Yet despite what the FOI response revealed the council maintains it does keep a …

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Crucial decisions on ‘Oxford Street District’ by Westminster council sound alarm bells for community groups

Cars and vans queuing on street.

Community groups in Fitzrovia and Marylebone are bracing themselves for another battle with Westminster council in advance of crucial decisions being taken on the future of Oxford Street this autumn and winter. While full pedestrianisation of Oxford Street is off the agenda the council have been pushing forward with a plan to pedestrianise part of …

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Westminster council announces consultation on 20 mph limit

20 mph image.

Westminster council has finally a got around to consider a 20 miles per hour speed limit across the city with the announcement this week of a public consultation on the plans. If given the go ahead it will mean an end to the two different speed limits in operation on several streets in Fitzrovia on …

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Residents in affordable housing at Rathbone Square complain of poor quality materials and design

Front of building.

Great Portland Estates may have been awarded "Property Developer of the Year" but people living in "affordable" homes at its Rathbone Square site in Fitzrovia are struggling to live in poorly designed flats and are watching their bathrooms fall apart mere weeks after they moved in. Residents complain of high service charges, incompetent management, rotting …

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Westminster council to draw up new plans for ‘improving the Oxford Street District’

Buses and taxis on Oxford Street.

Westminster council has written to community groups in the neighbourhoods surrounding Oxford Street to announce that "completely new proposals" will be drawn up after the summer but that pedestrianisation is "off the table for good". In a letter signed by leader Nickie Aiken and cabinet member Richard Beddoe they say there is a very clear …

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Westminster Tories in disarray, Labour opposition defies Mayor, and new party to fight Oxford Street pedestrianisation

Buses and taxis on Oxford Street.

Plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street have caused Westminster council's Tory leadership and their Labour opponents to defy Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and have given birth to a single issue party to fight the local elections this Thursday. Westminster’s cabinet member for Oxford Street, Daniel Astaire, has now told officials to bring a halt to …

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Number of council homes grabbed by private landlords revealed

Front cover of Inside Housing magazine.

The extent of former council homes sold under Margaret Thatcher's Right to Buy policy and which are now owned as buy-to-let has been revealed by research published this week. Inside Housing magazine has published details of the number of former council homes now being let by private landlords, after analysing statistics from two-thirds of councils …

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Westminster Council and FitzWest seek views on waste and recycling (again)

Label on recycling bags.

Westminster Council carried out a pilot rubbish and recycling collection system in 10 streets in Fitzrovia this autumn and for the second time is asking people's views on the scheme. The trial was introduced in September in partnership with the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum and received a mixed reception from residents. A petition calling for the return …

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Westminster council moves review of City Plan to spring 2018

Westminster council planning policy image.

Westminster council has announced that it is to delay a consultation on the revision of its major planning policies until the spring of 2018. In an email to community groups, Councillor Daniel Astaire, cabinet member for planning and public realm, explained that due to a number of recent policy announcements from the Mayor of London and …

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Travel group to reveal new plans for hotel on Newman Street

Front of building.

Plans for a new hotel in Fitzrovia will be unveiled at a public exhibition at the site on Newman Street next week. Travel and leisure group Leeu Collection will shortly be submitting a planning application to Westminster City Council to redevelop 50-57 Newman Street. The site was at one time a post office but its last …

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Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans divert traffic into neighbouring areas

TfL map of Oxford Street west district.

Mayor Sadiq Khan this week revealed more details on his proposal to pedestrianise London's Oxford Street and confirmed exactly what residents in surrounding districts feared -- all vehicles will be simply diverted into neighbouring streets but with a reduction in buses serving the area. The plans put out for consultation this week by Westminster Council …

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Westminster council wants views on Fitzrovia recycling and rubbish pilot

Label on recycling bags.

Westminster council is keen to get Fitzrovia West residents' views on its recycling and rubbish collection pilot scheme which is coming to a close this month. The pilot scheme was introduced in ten streets from September in partnership with the Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum, and residents and businesses were sent letters explaining the new collection …

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Most local residents oppose or have concerns about Oxford Street plans

Cover of report.

People living in the neighbourhoods near Oxford Street have come out strongly against plans to pedestrianise the shopping street because of concerns about displacing motor vehicles into surrounding areas, according to the results of a consultation carried out by Transport for London and Westminster Council and published this week. More than 65 percent of local …

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Neighbourhood forum calls on Westminster council to reject Holden House redevelopment plans

Corner of street.

The Fitzrovia West Neighbourhood Forum is urging Westminster council to reject plans by property developer Derwent London to part demolish and redevelop a cluster of commercial buildings on a corner site in the Hanway Street conservation area. Plans by Derwent are for the demolition and redevelopment behind retained facades of 54-62 Oxford Street and 51-58 …

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Diesel parking charges increase in Fitzrovia, Marylebone and Hyde Park zones

Map of parking zone f.

A 50 percent surcharge will apply to drivers of pre-2015 diesel vehicles paying to park in Fitzrovia, Marylebone and Hyde Park zones from today (Monday 26 June 2017) as part of Westminster council's Low Emission Neighbourhood initiative. The hourly charge for pre-2015 diesel vehicles will be £7.35 and all other vehicles will continue to be …

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Neighbourhood groups say no to Oxford Street ‘transformation’ plans

Better Oxford Street leaflet.

Community groups from the four districts surrounding Oxford Street are calling on residents to oppose pedestrianisation of the shopping street by responding to a consultation saying they do not support the plans. The collection of associations in Fitzrovia, Marylebone, Mayfair and Soho say the joint consultation by Transport for London and Westminster City Council is designed in …

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